As India looks back on 60 years of independence, it has much to be proud of, but much to regret and, in some cases, much to be ashamed of. India can justly take pride in its obvious achievements : democracy (especially the empowerment of the former untouchables and other traditionally deprived casts), belated economic success and growing international recognition. It does regret the poverty of the millions of Indians who are not enjoying the economic boom, many of whom go to bed hungry every night. It should be ashamed of the corrupt and inefficient administration that steals the resources the government allocates to relieve poverty.

I still believe the balance sheet of India's democracy is in credit, but I would say there is a large debit to be entered when we consider India's relations with Pakistan. The healing of the wounds of partition seems as far away as ever and I firmly believe that this hostility will never end until India recognises that it has to bear the burden of generosity. Pakistan is the smaller country; Pakistan has suffered the trauma of a second partition, a partition in which India played a significant role, and India is in possession of all the territory it actually wants in the disputed state of Kashmir. India's position is that the status quo there should be accepted as the final solution. But that can never be accepted in Pakistan.

India's record of generosity to its other neighbours is no better. Attitude is part of the problem. Recently an official of the Asian Development Bank said to me: "India is not good at downsizing with its neighbours". What he meant was that India looks down its nose at those neighbours. I have often noticed a certain arrogance in the attitude of Indian diplomats posted in the neighbourhood, and one of India's most distinguished former diplomats commented on this in his recent book. But this lack of generosity goes beyond attitude. One of Bangladesh's leading economists recently pointed out to me the goodwill India could win in his country if it offered really generous terms for trade. It is not as though that would be any threat to India's burgeoning economy. So one wish I would have for India is that as it moves on to become a bigger and bigger player in global affairs it should become a generous, not a petty power, in its own neighbourhood.